By Praveen Dwivedi Bhopal 4th September : A dispute has erupted due to the decision to permit mining on a legendary hillock, dubbed ‘Siddha Pahad located in the Chitrakoot region of Satna district of Madhya Pradesh.The issue has caused the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress confronting each other.
The increasing attacks from the Opposition and BJP leadership in the Vindhya region has prompted the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to step in and call for an end to the process of legalizing mining in the region.
“Mining is not permitted at heritage sites, such as Siddha Pahad in Satna district.The direction was given to Satna district administration,” Chouhan said on September 2 adding that “Siddha Pahad is an historic site and is the center of our reverence, faith and sacredness, will remain in good condition.”
This swift decision by the most powerful chief of the ruling BJP was based on the feelings of those in Vindhya region that comprises Rewa, Satna, Singrauli, Sidhi and Umaria, and in the context of the assembly elections that are only 15 months away.
The BJP lost the Raigaon assembly seat in Satna district to the Congress in the November by-polls last year, despite winning 24 out of 30 assembly seats in the 2018 elections.The changes of change have raised alarm bells in the BJP.
Another reason for this swift move of Chouhan as experts from the political world say is that it’s not to give the Congress to confront the saffron-colored party for being against its own principles.
Sidhha Pahad is no ordinary hill It has a mythological story to tell.
According to legend, during his time in the Chitrakoot forest during the 14 years of his exile the Lord Ram had made a promise to the hill to annihilate the demons.
But, despite Chouhan’s intervention still being asked about mining in the region by not just the opposition, but also by politicians who are affiliated with the ruling BJP.Local MLAs representing both factions in Satna district, who opposed against the decision to legalize mining in the area are now expressing concerns regarding the continuing illegal mining.
BJP MLA from the Maihar assembly seat (under Satna district) Narayan Tripathi who, together with the Congress MLA Nilanshu Chaturvedi, who is from the Chitrakoot seat addressed Chief Minister Chouhan regarding this issue and has questioned the motives of his party that governs the state.
Tripathi stated that the process of legalizing mining was just stopped, while it should be permanently halted.
“The government should impose the mining industry under complete prohibition in this region.
In the present order only the process of legalisation has been stopped, which will open the way for regularisation of mining in the future.In my letter addressed to the Chief Minister I’ve asked for an that he stop mining in this area,” Tripathi said while speaking to IANS exclusively about this issue.
He also claimed that widespread mining was illegally taking place in a nexus between individuals with political connections and mining authorities in Satna district.
“It is a well-known fact that a lot of mining is being carried out illegally in Chitrakoot, Maihar and numerous other locations in Rewa, Sidhi and Satna districts.I have spoken out against illegal mining , and I will do until the government takes the right decision in this issue,” Tripathi said, adding, “What is the meaning of stopping the legalization of mining when there is a flurry of mining that is illegal for many years.”
In his letter to Chouhan, Tripathi mentioned, “Instead of working to preserve the sites that lie in the proposed Ram Van Gaman Path Any attempt to harm or destroy these sites would be a taint of Hindu religious beliefs that is not acceptable to the local population as well as seers in Chitrakoot.”
What caused a political scuffle to take place in the mining region of Siddha Pahad, when illegal mining is happening in numerous other parts of the state? Because the hillock in question is situated in the sacred 84 Kosi Parikrama route of the popular religious hotspot Chitrakoot in Satna district.Based on the Aranya Kand of Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas the Siddha Pahad is believed to be the result of the remains of seers who were killed by demons.
The hillock is situated on the long-proposed Ram Van Gaman Path (religious tourism route that follows the path of Ram-Sita-Laxman’s exile) for the initial phase of which the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government is said to have requested an amount of Rs 500 crore from the government.
The controversy surrounding this issue started with the circular released by the regional office of the MP State Pollution Control Board in Satna district last week about public information to hold the Lok Sunwai (public hearing) on September 30.This is a requirement for a mandatory environmental clearance permitting legitimate mining in any location.
The state pollution control board is putting the wheels in motion for the environmental approval of the resumption of mining in the Siddha Pahad (Siddha Kothar) The opposition Congress has launched a harsh criticism of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government on the issue.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath attacked the BJP government, saying, “After playing politics in the name of Lord Ram, the BJP government is now working in an organized manner to eliminate remains that are related to the same god.The Congress will not be silent on the matter, and will instead fight in the streets and the Vidhan Sabha to stop the destruction of the hillock that is sacred to Hindus.”
Sources in the department of pollution control in Satna district have told IANS that mining was permitted in the area as was the Siddha Pahad in 1978 and the mining lease was granted to two local mining firms of Satna district for 30 years.It was valid until 2008.
The BJP government headed by Ram Temple Movement leader Uma Bharti came to power in the MP in 2003 the concept of Ram Van Gaman Path following the exile route of Lord Ram was discussed at first.However, five years later the mining lease was not renewed.
In 2011, two companies who were given the mining lease in the area in 1978, tried to get renewal, but due to public anger and a lack of public support, the Satna district administration declared the the entire the area of importance to religion in 84 Kosi Parikrama Zone of Chitrakoot (which includes the Siddha Pahad) as No Mining Zone.
A new move is being made by the mining companies concerned to revive their mining activities in the region with the assistance of an influential politician of Vindhya region of MP that resulted in a new controversy.
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